Primark to train 160,000 cotton farmers in sustainability drive
Primark to train 160,000 cotton farmers in sustainability drive

Primark to train 160,000 cotton farmers in sustainability drive

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Retailer’s target is part of aim to use 100% sustainable cotton in all product categories
Primark
 Primark plans to train the farmers in India, Pakistan and China in eco-friendly methods by 2022. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA

Primark has announced plans to improve its sustainability credentials by training 160,000 cotton farmers in India, Pakistan and China in environmentally friendly farming methods by 2022.

The target is part of the retailer’s sustainable cotton programme, launched in 2013, with the aim to use 100% sustainable cotton in all its product categories.

The sustainable cotton is currently being used in women’s pyjamas, a range of denim, towels and bedding, and will be rolled out to menswear and T-shirts next.

The announcement will lead to a five-fold increase in the number of farmers enrolled in the programme, operated in partnership with Cotton Connect, which works to increase commercial opportunities with limited impact to people or the environment, and the Self Employed Women’s Association trade union.

The methods being taught include efficient irrigation, planting in rows with trenches to maximise drainage, and introducing organic pesticides and fertilisers such as cow dung, when possible, to reduce the use of chemical options.

Source: theguardian.com

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